What Hannah spoke about.

20

May

2026

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Situation of women and girls in Afghanistan following the Taliban's adoption of the Criminal Procedure Code for Courts

Mr President, dear colleagues, we debate the brutal repression of women and society in Afghanistan here for the umpteenth time. Nobody can claim not to know. And yet, at the same time, the Commission invites the Taliban for deportation talks, technical talks, as if this had nothing to do with politics. But there is nothing technical about opening doors to extremists while those who fought these extremists are stuck in Afghanistan, Iran or Turkey waiting years for visa appointments. In Germany, the Taliban are already back in consulates as if that were the most normal thing in the world. The EU agreed to benchmarks for engagement with the Taliban – this House, the Commission and the Council: respect for human rights, unhindered humanitarian access, prevention of Afghanistan becoming a base and exporter for terrorism and an inclusive government. Since then, it's only got worse. So if the Taliban do not meet these benchmarks, we should not meet the Taliban in Europe. No one. Full stop.

20

May

2026

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Repression and execution of protesters, dissidents, political prisoners and religious minorities in Iran

Mr President, dear colleagues, when we speak about Iran these days, we speak about missiles, nuclear enrichment at the Strait of Hormuz. But for millions of Iranians, geopolitics looks very different: it looks like waiting outside prison gates for news of your family, being cut off from the internet and from information from the world, being forgotten by the very powers who claim to act in your name. The Islamic regime does not survive through repression and violence alone. It survives by making people feel invisible, by making them believe that nobody is coming, nobody is listening and nobody will care long enough to act. This regime is testing more than prison walls and digital blackouts: it is testing us. Will Europe's values survive a moment of crisis? Or will human rights disappear as soon as negotiations and short-sighted interests begin? Iran's political prisoners and digital blackout are a geopolitical question, and we must live up to that by placing the people of Iran at the core of our negotiation agenda and by ensuring that the Revolutionary Guard can no longer operate with impunity on European soil.

19

May

2026

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Europe's response to reduced US military deployments in Europe, particularly at its Eastern flank in the light of the latest US decisions (debate)

Madam President, Mr Bielan, Mr Jaki, one cannot build reliable security on unreliable partners. And by now it should be obvious Donald Trump is not reliable. You can flatter him, you can appease him and he will still hit you with tariffs, annexation threats or troop drawdowns. And none of that will make us safer. The alternative, on the other hand, is clear and simple: strengthen our European defence industry; close our capability gaps; support the eastern flank; and finally act as Europeans and not as 27 nervous clients waiting for Trump's mood of the day. Let us also not forget that America needs Europe too, and US senators know it. There is no credible US deterrence without bases in Europe. There is no American defence industry without European buyers, and there is no American global power without European support. Despite all of this, the Council still shies away, and is blocking every step towards a truly European Defence Union. They are too slow, too national, too late. Dear colleagues, let us finally unite our efforts to prevent war, not wait for war to unite us.

19

May

2026

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Question Time with the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy - EU’s strategy to address the current crises in the Middle East

Maybe it is about time to move beyond good practice on this one, but we face a similar credibility problem on Iran. The EU has finally listed the Revolutionary Guard as a terror organisation, but its networks still continue to work in Europe. They sit in consulates, they run business, and they intimidate and harass Iranians, but also Israelis living here. So, I am wondering: what have you and Member States done in the last three months to enforce the listing, and what will you do next to drain the IRGC's money, influence and reach inside Europe?

19

May

2026

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Question Time with the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy - EU’s strategy to address the current crises in the Middle East

High‑Representative, it's good to have you here, but the Middle East is burning and the European Union is still mostly watching from the sidelines. You often said it yourself: you want the European Union to be a geopolitical actor, yet on Israel the gap between our words and our actions keeps growing. We have leverage, but we hesitate to use it. You mentioned yourself that last year your services concluded that the current Israeli Government is in breach of its human rights obligations under the EU‑Israel Association Agreement. Since then, the situation has only got worse – in Gaza, in the settlements. And now the Knesset has passed a bill that introduces the death penalty for Palestinians only, which is, bluntly said, apartheid legislation. So to build on the question of my colleague from the S&D, which Member States are blocking the suspension of the Association Agreement, and what is your own agenda to move from concern to consequences in this regard?

29

Apr

2026

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EU strategy in response to the ongoing Middle East crisis, its implications on energy prices and the availability of fertilizers (joint debate)

Mr President, obey or we will make your life miserable, resist and we break, you flee and we find you even in Europe, speak up and we come after your family – this is how the Iranian regime has ruled for decades. Now, they are expanding this model from holding their own people hostage to holding the world hostage in the Strait of Hormuz. You sanction us, we close the strait. You want negotiations, we make you wait. You resist, we create an economic crisis. Pure blackmail! And if they get away with this, dear colleagues, others will follow. This is not only about Iran, it is about freedom of navigation and whether blackmail wins, and this is why Europe needs to get engaged: for a reliable solution for freedom of navigation, against blackmail on the international stage –Trump is not going to get this done! – but also against blackmail in Iran. Because while we debate geopolitics here, millions of Iranians live a different reality: more brutality, more executions, more censorship. And yet some in Europe speak of sanctions relief in return for opening the Strait of Hormuz, which would give the very wrong signal that blackmail works and that Europe turns a blind eye on repression. Dear colleagues, these sanctions were imposed for massive human rights violations, and they must remain until these violations stop. So no handshake, no deal, no lifting of sanctions as long as people are silenced, executions continue and political prisoners remain behind bars. This is what Europe must bring to the negotiation table. (The speaker concluded her speech in a non-official language).

27

Apr

2026

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Order of business

Madam President, this is a point of order in line with Rule 202 of the Rules of Procedure. Nasrin Sotoudeh was awarded the Sakharov Prize in 2012, and she was abducted by the Iranian regime just 25 days ago, and is now held in an unknown location. She was abducted because she denounced the January massacres. She was abducted because she spoke out against executions, because she protested against mandatory hijab, and because she defended those in court who refused to support the tyranny of the Islamic regime. Nasrin is also a mother of two, and she has already spent too many years in prison. And yet she never bowed, and nor should we. Therefore, I urge you, President Metsola, as you announced, to convey this Parliament's deepest outrage to the Iranian regime and to formally demand Nasrin's immediate release and the release of all political prisoners. Dear colleagues, let us send a clear signal to those negotiating in Islamabad right now: no deal, no handshake will get our blessing unless this regime opens the internet, stops the executions and releases all political prisoners, including Nasrin and Narges.

25

Mar

2026

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Imminent death penalty threats in Iran in the light of the latest executions, including on 18 and 19 March 2026, by the Iranian regime (debate)

Madam President, this war has raised hopes among many Iranians, hopes for change and hopes for freedom. But today, there is a real threat that it may end in a disaster, leaving them with nothing but an emboldened, even more repressive and aggressive regime. While the world is watching missiles and internet memes, the Islamic regime is tightening its grip at home. Political prisoners are held in overcrowded cells, executions rising, a regime determined to destroy every little bit of resistance, of hope, of life under a nationwide internet blackout designed to control reality, to kill in the dark. And now there is Donald Trump's 15-point plan. A plan without a single point on the people of Iran, a rush for a quick deal, an attempt for Donald Trump to save Donald Trump, by replacing mullahs with mullahs and selling out the future of an entire nation. We have seen this before, dear colleagues. In 2020, in Doha, Trump rushed to a deal with the Taliban. He celebrated it as a good one, when in reality he got nothing. And the people of Afghanistan are paying the brutal price for this until today. This is not a game. This is about the lives of millions of human beings. And that is why Europe, together with our partners in the Gulf, must push back. Any serious path forward must begin with two non-negotiable demands to the Islamic regime: stop the executions, stop the internet blackout. And we need to find a way to get the real Iranians to sit at these tables and to have a say in all of this. Nothing less. For women, for life, for freedom.

11

Mar

2026

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EUCO and situation in the Middle East (joint debate)

Madam President, dear colleagues, the people in Iran did not choose this war, the regime did. Yet they are the ones paying the highest price, trapped between missiles from above and repression from within. Trump and Netanyahu are gambling with the lives of 90 million Iranians and with the future of an entire region. How are we supposed to endorse a war when the goal is unclear and the strategy changes by the hour? A war in which desalination plants and historical sites are considered legitimate targets. A war in which the death of 150 schoolchildren is not even worth an apology. The Islamic regime chose this war, and the regime should be its sole target. This regime will fall. It is politically, economically and morally bankrupt. The only question is when, and how many will it drag into the abyss before it does, in Iran and across the region? So to those still supporting this machinery of repression and death, choose Iran over ideology. Defect and end this madness. Dear colleagues, this is not our war, but its consequences are already ours to deal with. So Europe must engage, in close coordination with partners in the Gulf, in support of the Iranian civil society and the diaspora, to stop escalation and prepare for a day after. Our Union was built on the ashes of the most brutal war in human history. It is proof that freedom and peace are possible. The people in the region deserve nothing less. For freedom. (The speaker concluded in a non-official language)

10

Mar

2026

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Tackling barriers to the single market for defence - Flagship European defence projects of common interest

Madam President, dear colleagues, everyone says Europe needs to become more independent in defence, and I agree. For years now we have been putting forward concrete ideas at the European level on how to get there, like these reports that show, for example, how flagship projects can strengthen European security by building a European drone defence, by reinforcing the eastern border, by developing European air defence capabilities. All of these are good proposals. At a time when Trump is firing more missiles in the Middle East than he has delivered to Ukraine, flirting once again with Russian oil and threatening to throw Ukraine under the bus, Europe must move forward together. Many times in this House we have set the direction only to be faced with hesitation from Member States or ignorance, as their absence today shows. So if capitals continue to say that Europe does not deliver, let me be clear: we do. You only need to walk your talk. And please hurry up.

9

Mar

2026

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One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Mr President, in the shadow of war, danger for political prisoners does not disappear. It grows. Iran's prisons are full of protestors, from Nobel Peace Prize laureates to tens of thousands whose names we may never know. Bombs are falling and they are locked in. Reports suggest chaos inside Evin prison: food is running out, prisoners are being transferred to unknown locations, families have no contact. Outside the prison gates, they wait, desperately hoping for the smallest piece of news, fearing the worst. Dear colleagues, we have seen this before. During the Iran‑Iraq war, this same regime ordered the killing of thousands of political prisoners. In the face of such brutality, let us at least speak their names, tell their stories, keep up the world's attention on their fate because the day will come when the world will need their persistence, their knowledge and their courage to rebuild a free Iran.

12

Feb

2026

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Resumption of the sitting

Madam President, this is a point of order on our urgency that we will vote on later regarding the situation of Christians and journalists in Türkiye. When we usually work on human rights resolutions – urgencies – in this House, it is common practice when we talk about certain human rights defenders, opposition figures, to extend our solidarity in the text to other persons and groups at risk. For example, three months ago we had an urgency resolution on Baha'i in Iran. And of course we also addressed the repression against Christians in Iran. So I thought it would be a normal thing, if we discussed the situation of Christians and journalists in Türkiye, that we also extend our solidarity to other religious groups, or at least that we are able to vote if we want to do so. For some reason that I don't get, the services said that our amendment in this regard is inadmissible. This, dear colleagues, is a political question and not a bureaucratic one, so I call on you, President, to allow us to vote on this one today, and on the subject matter, dear colleagues, for God does not show favouritism...

11

Feb

2026

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Systemic oppression, inhumane conditions and arbitrary detentions by the regime in Iran

Mr President, tens of thousands shot, body bags piling up in silence, grieving families forced into false confessions – the Islamic regime has one goal: to ensure that no one ever dares to take to the streets again. And they are not done yet. Iran's prisons are full of protesters, from Nobel Peace Prize laureates to thousands whose names we may never know. There, the regime tries to break those they did not kill. They use rape as an interrogation tactic against women and men alike. Those who refuse to obey are threatened with execution. Dear colleagues, whether there is an Iran–Trump deal or not, our responsibility does not change. Iranians did not die for deals; they rose for freedom, and Europe must stand by their side. The IRGC terror listing is there – finally. Now we must enforce it. Follow the money, freeze assets, dismantle networks and transnational repression, bring perpetrators to justice and support Iran's opposition in all its diversity. This regime will fall. Let us all help. It falls fast. (The speaker concluded in a non-EU language)

10

Feb

2026

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Situation in Northeast Syria, the violence against civilians and the need to maintain a sustainable ceasefire (debate)

Mr President, dear colleagues, the brutal attacks on the North East are a painful reminder of Syria's darkest chapters. An entire generation in Syria has grown up under al-Assad's cruel dictatorship and civil war. Every new escalation opens wounds that never had the time to heal. The violence must end once and for all, and this is the responsibility of all sides. And it is al-Sharaa's responsibility, if he wants to be the president of Syria, to be a president for all Syrians, and to ensure that Syria is safe for everyone. For decades, majority-Kurdish areas have been the most democratic and inclusive parts of Syria. They are a blueprint for the future many Syrians hope for. Kurdish rights are now written into a decree, but real guarantees must be enshrined into the constitution, and Kurdish representatives need to have a seat at the table in Damascus. We also have some homework of our own, dear colleagues. For years, I have called on our governments to repatriate Daesh fighters and families to bring them to justice in Europe. Now the risk of Daesh regrouping is higher than ever. I would rather see these fighters in European prisons than back on the battlefields. All of this clearly shows that Syria is not safe for forced returns. Instead of scaring Syrians in Europe and fuelling toxic migration debates, let's all focus on helping rebuild a country that finally has a chance to heal its wounds and become free for everyone.

20

Jan

2026

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Brutal repression against protesters in Iran (debate)

Madam President, people in Iran are back on the streets because of poverty, because of repression and because they cannot survive like this. The regime responds with brutality beyond comprehension. They deliberately shoot peaceful protesters in the face. Thousands have been killed, many more injured, their faces turned into permanent warnings, a message written in blood: 'do not dare to resist'. Many families still wait for calls that never come. They do not know whether their loved ones returned home, vanished into prisons or lie unnamed among the dead. Political prisoners have been cut off for weeks. The internet has been shut down to keep everything in the dark. This regime has lost every last inch of legitimacy. It is politically bankrupt, it is economically hollow and morally dead. It will fall: the only question is when, and how many more lives will it destroy before it does? Dear colleagues, it is our responsibility to shorten that timeline, and it is on Iranians to then decide what's next. I know this is not the usual toolbox, but nothing about this regime is normal. Compared to the risks that people take in the streets of Iran every day, what I'm asking for, High Representative, is very little: designate the Revolutionary Guard as a terror organisation. We know who is blocking: Spain, Italy and France. Dear colleagues with your nice speeches, reach out to your governments, make them reconsider so we can do this by 29 January. Fully enforce sanctions – not selectively, not symbolically, but completely. Expel Iranian diplomats who abuse their diplomatic privileges to spread disinformation and intimidate Iranians here in Europe. Why should we tolerate their repression on our soil any longer? Invest in technologies that bypass internet shutdowns. Autocrats are already learning from this. We must learn faster and let us all together send an unmistakeable sign to Tehran. Release the prisoners, stop the executions, we will keep shining light where you seek darkness. This regime will fall. Let us all help it fall fast. Baraye Azadi.

16

Dec

2025

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Recent developments in Palestine and Lebanon (debate)

Mr President, dear colleagues, we all have a right to hope, but we also have the duty to face reality and to act accordingly. There is a ceasefire in Gaza on paper, but for Palestinians, little has changed: airstrikes continue, the Israeli Government severely limits humanitarian aid, children sleep in rain-soaked blankets, cold, fragile, hungry. While the world focuses on Gaza, violence by the Israeli military and settlers is escalating in the West Bank with complete impunity. People are shot while harvesting olives. Just last month, the Israeli military shut down the last Palestinian seed bank after they had destroyed its seed production facility in Hebron this summer. Seeds are not terrorists. This is not about Israel's security; this is an attack on Palestinian food sovereignty. And it's systemic. Good roads for Israelis only; broken roads and endless checkpoints for Palestinians on their own land. One set of laws for Palestinians; another one for Israelis. An Israeli child throwing a stone might get an angry look at worst, while a Palestinian child can be shot dead or held for years in administrative detention without due process. All of this is meant to send a single chilling message: you have no future here. We may have grown used to this reality, dear colleagues, but we should never accept it. That is why I urge the Commission and Member States to finally implement the measures announced in the State of the Union: suspend the association agreement – at least its trade provisions, impose targeted sanctions on ministers, on settler organisations and their donors, and finally, protect those who uphold international law by activating the blocking statute to defend the International Criminal Court. I was in Palestine with six colleagues last week. I encourage all of you to go and see for yourselves – because if we allow one terror to justify another terror, only terror.

26

Nov

2025

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Escalating repression of the Baha'is in Iran

Mr President, dear colleagues, in Iran, repression against Baha'is has reached a new level of cruelty: raids, arrests, confiscations, even executions. Picture this scene repeated a thousand times across in Iran today: a woman – Baha'i, Kurdish, Baloch, Azeri – standing in her doorway, her door forced open by men who fear her voice more than she fears their violence. Her crime? She teaches, she believes, she simply refuses to disappear. Doors shattered, bodies beaten, families torn apart: all that only to preserve the power of a small circle of clerics who build their rule on repression and fear, on erasing identity, belief and freedom. But the state that imprisons people for their faith or gender is not strong, it is terrified. A regime that seizes Baha'i homes is not powerful, it only shows how fragile its own worlds have become. When you silence one woman, her voice returns through millions, through Kurds, Baloch, Baha'is, Azeris, women and men across Iran and in Europe – all those who refuse to be divided, all those whose hearts beat for freedom. Iranians say: 'from heart to heart there is always a path'. Our solidarity is with the people of Iran, and our pressure on this regime will only increase. 'Woman, life, freedom'. My heart goes out to my Baha'i friends up there.

25

Nov

2025

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European Defence Industry Programme and a framework of measures to ensure the timely availability and supply of defence products (‘EDIP’) (debate)

Madam President, dear colleagues, today we will adopt EDIP. And while the result is acceptable, the path to reach it explains all too well why we are once again in a mess when it comes to Ukraine. Donald Trump has presented his 28-point 'peace plan'. Let's be clear: this is not a peace plan. It is a demand for capitulation designed to distract from the Epstein scandal closing in on him back home. And he appears perfectly ready to sacrifice Ukraine's security – and Europe's – in the process. In Europe, our leverage over Trump is minimal because we remain dependent. Our defence industry is fragmented and we still lack key capabilities Ukraine urgently needs – from air defence to military intelligence. While, on the macro level, every head of state decries the lack of strategic autonomy, of European sovereignty, on the micro level, Member States still turn every attempt to fix this mess into an exercise in protecting national perks and business as usual. First SAFE, now EDIP: Member States are carving out loophole after loophole, instead of strengthening a truly European defence industry and working together to close capability gaps. Dear colleagues in the Council, by the way, where are you? Strategic autonomy does not come from Sunday speeches. It comes from Monday to Friday actions. I thank the rapporteurs and the colleagues who stood firm in the trilogue – because either we defend the European project together or there will be soon no more project to defend.

22

Oct

2025

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Preparation of the European Council meeting of 23 October 2025 (debate)

Madam President, dear colleagues, we are no longer at peace, and Putin moves us closer to war week after week. Drones shut down our airports. Russian fighter jets cross our skies. Disinformation divides our societies. And the US? A shaky ally at best. This challenge is far too big for any Member State to face alone. Whenever national governments feel overwhelmed, they call on the EU to fix the problem. Strategic autonomy, European serenity, a true defence union – the speeches of heads of states are grand. The actions? Not so much. Transfer the necessary powers to the EU? No. Provide the budget we need? A sure no. But when Europe then can't perform miracles with this non-support, the same capitals are the first ones to point the fingers. Dear colleagues in the Council, we don't have time for these games anymore. Together, we are 500 million people with one of the world's strongest economies. Either we defend every inch of the European project together or there will be no more European project. And when that happens, by the way, your handy European scapegoat will be gone as well.

21

Oct

2025

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Recent peace agreement in the Middle East and the role of the EU (debate)

Madam President, dear colleagues, Donald Trump may get a ceasefire signed, but for sure he has neither the ability nor the patience to build lasting peace. His plan is riddled with flaws: no path for Palestinian self-determination, no timeline for Israel's full withdrawal, no agreement on disarming Hamas, no word on accountability for the crimes of the past two years. Trump wants the applause and counts on everyone else to deal with the messy reality, and on the Gulf countries and Europe to pay the bill. But who says we need to just nod along? It's time for Europe to move from being the passive payer to using our leverage, to finally break the cycle of rebuilding what will only be destroyed again. The hostages are free. May they, and their families, find the strength to heal. But for civilians in Gaza, little has changed. They still suffer from Israeli attacks, from Hamas violence, from starvation. The Arab states need to keep the pressure on Hamas; Europe needs to keep the focus on the Israeli Government. Netanyahu still turns aid on and off at will. As long as food and medicine do not reach everyone, consequences – from the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement to sanctions – need to be back on the table. While the world watches Gaza, our attention needs to extend to the West Bank. Settler violence grows, in an open attempt to undermine the two-state solution. Palestinians have a right to their own state and to ownership of reconstruction. Europe was too divided to stop the war. Let us at least be united now, to protect and nurture the fragile hope that remains.

8

Oct

2025

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EU strategy with regard to Iran’s nuclear threat and the implementation of EU sanctions resulting from the snapback mechanism (debate)

Madam President, finally: the snapback. For too long, the Iranian regime bent the rules, mocked our patience and profited from our hesitation – that, at least, is over now. But sanctions only matter if they are fully implemented. So we need to close the loopholes that EU companies still use for dual-use goods, end the golden visa schemes that the regime still exploits, ensure that countries fully comply as UN sanctions apply to everyone and above all, sanctions must hit the regime, not the people. Dear colleagues, this snapback alone will not bring security. The regime still hides enriched uranium, it supplies Shahed drones to Russia, killing Ukrainians, and expects fighter jets in return, threatening Saudi Arabia and Israel – a partnership of repression that fuels instability far beyond Iran's borders. Inside Iran, repression gets worse. Three people are executed every day, each one a message of fear to a generation that dares to dream of freedom. Political prisoners are on hunger strike, risking their lives to end this madness. They need our attention and our solidarity. The best way to stop a nuclear Iran is to break this cycle of violence and fear that sustains the regime is to finally put the IRGC on the EU terrorist list. Our support belongs not to the mullahs, but to the people in Iran who risk everything for freedom and dignity. (The speaker concluded in a non-EU language)

7

Oct

2025

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Situation in Afghanistan: supporting women and communities affected by the recent earthquakes (debate)

Mr President, dear colleagues, Afghanistan is the only country where girls are forbidden to go to school, where women are banned from work, from travel – even from speaking. Half a nation erased from public life. This is not culture. It is not internal affairs. It is gender apartheid. While rescuers work to save families buried by earthquakes, the Taliban cut the internet, isolating 40 million in a deliberate digital darkness. This is calculated cruelty. Dear colleagues, three years ago, all of us in here said we will not turn our back on Afghanistan. Today, that promise is being broken. Instead of standing with Afghan women, European governments travel to Kabul in secret, bargaining with terrorists over deportations, trading away rights and promises for short-sighted deals and a handful of votes. But our duty is the opposite: to name the Taliban's crimes, not to normalise them; to speak up for Afghan women, not to silence them; and to codify gender apartheid as a crime against humanity, so that evidence is preserved, justice is possible, and these shady deals are denounced as what they are – complicity.

7

Oct

2025

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The EU’s role in supporting the recent peace efforts for Gaza and a two-state solution (debate)

Mr President, as we speak, families in Israel mourn the victims of 7 October while hostages remain in captivity, enduring hell. As we speak, families in Gaza cannot grieve. More bombs are falling and settlers terrorise those in the West Bank. As we speak, Jews in Europe face anti-Semitic attacks, racism against Muslims is rising and Palestinians worldwide wonder on which they their victims will be mourned. Dear colleagues, we all hope for a deal to end this suffering. But negotiations do not feed the starving. We need to increase pressure for more humanitarian aid to reach Gaza. And even if an agreement comes, our work will not be over. Rebuilding will need resources. Peace will need protection. Healing will need specialists. And justice will need accountability. Europe was too divided to pressure ceasefire. Let us at least be united and lead to protect and nurture whatever fragile hope may soon emerge.

9

Sep

2025

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Gaza at breaking point: EU action to combat famine, the urgent need to release hostages and move towards a two-state solution (debate)

Madam President, dear colleagues, famine has reached Gaza City. People are told to leave but have nowhere to go. Children are starving. Families are bombed. While Trump and Netanyahu dream of turning Gaza into the Riviera, the European Union is paralysed by shameful infighting. While we debate, they create facts on the ground. And yes, it's above all the German Government that blocks action in the Council. That is unacceptable. Because if we are serious about ending the suffering, about offering a real alternative to the Trump-Netanyahu alliance, we must stand united, and with our regional partners, and with the hundreds of thousands in Israel demonstrating for an end to this brutal war. The Israeli Government has promised again and again to let in more humanitarian aid. Before the summer, High Representative Kallas, you announced another such deal. But people in Gaza are still starving. Isn't it time to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement, then? For months, Israeli ministers have incited violence and pushed new settlements to bury a two-state solution. Isn't it time to sanction them, then? So instead of shouting at each other in here, let's unite behind a simple truth. From the river to the sea, all people should be free. Free from hunger. Free from bombs and missiles. Free from hostage-taking and terror attacks. Free from repression, antisemitism and racism. Free to love, live and to raise their children in peace.

9

Jul

2025

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Urgent need to protect religious minorities in Syria following the recent terrorist attack on Mar Elias Church in Damascus

Mr President, dear colleagues, Assad may be gone, but the hate and division he sowed still poison Syria. The massacres of Alawites on the coast, the brutal attack on Christians praying in Mar Elias Church, hundreds of violent flashpoints across Syria – no community is untouched. Syria's authorities must act. Heal the deep wounds, pursue real justice, dismantle armed radicalism and rebuild trust shattered by war. We Europeans have a responsibility too, not to use Syrians as pawns in a political game, but to stand with them and to say it clearly: today's Syria is not safe. We must restart asylum processes, allow family reunification, create safe ways to visit Syria without forcing return. There are many in this Chamber who speak so passionately for persecuted Christians. But why don't you show the same passion extending Christian values to all Syrians seeking refuge in Europe? As in Leviticus 19, verse 33, it says: 'the foreigners residing amongst you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt too.'